Riddle me this, Batman: what food is native to the South American Andes, was once believed
to be poisonous, and still, to this day gets mistaken as a vegetable when it’s really
a fruit?
Ok, assuming you read the title of this video before you clicked on it, you know I’m talking
about tomatoes.
If you said “bananas”, then you might really need this video.
So let’s cut to the chase: what will happen to your body if you eat 1 tomato a day?
Well…
1.
You'll get loads of antioxidants.
You hear about them all the time, but why exactly are antioxidants so important?
For starters, they lower cholesterol, strengthen your immune system, prevent your arteries
from hardening, and improve overall heart health!
As for where that big juicy tomato stores these oh-so important elements, it’s in
this compound called lycopene.
This is also what gives tomatoes their iconic red color!
2.
You'll have better eyesight.
Hey Banana Boy, pay attention!
Let's say your body is running low on vitamin A. Your eyes aren't happy about that because
it's difficult for them to detect light and send visual information to your brain.
Luckily, tomatoes are packed with this vitamin.
Other players in the eye health game are plant pigments called carotenoids, which are also
found in tomatoes.
As a matter of fact, you have more in common with this fruit than you might think.
Your retinas and lenses also contain several types of carotenoids!
They help filter light by removing the rays that can harm your eye tissue.
Then maybe you’ll read it right when it says “tomato” in the title of this video.
3.
Get ready for glowing skin.
Ooh, in the dark?
Anyone who’s ever bought anti-aging skincare products has probably seen the word collagen
plenty of times.
It’s a protein that helps your skin stay firm, supple, and elastic.
But this drop from the fountain of youth can't go it alone – to do its work, collagen needs
vitamin C.
This vitamin protects your skin from sun damage, pollution, and even cell-destroying free radicals.
Experiments have shown that daily consumption of the fruit itself or tomato paste can mean
fewer sunburns, acne, and other blemishes.
If you’re looking for more vitamin C to boost collagen levels, you’ll get 30% of
your daily value in 1 tomato alone!
4.
You'll have thicker hair.
Along with all those skin-enhancing nutrients, you’ll also be getting a daily dose of vitamin
K.
It’s said to do wonders for the health of your hair.
First of all, it helps the hair grow faster and stronger.
Vitamin K also improves its texture and overall appearance.
In layman’s terms: thicker more vibrant locks – sounds good to me!
5.
Fewer sick days…sorry!
You might know that it’s good to take in more vitamin C when you’re sick.
But if you get enough of it daily, you’ll find yourself getting the cold or flu less
often in the first place.
It all comes down to boosting the immune system so that it can fight bacterial and viral infections
as soon as they get in the body.
Yeah, you won’t be taking school or work off as often, but at least you’ll always
feel at your best!
6.
You'll feel happy and energized.
Tomatoes contain folic acid, which is a B vitamin that fights fatigue.
That means boosted energy levels, which, let’s be honest, everyone could use in the rat race
of today’s world.
But that's not all.
Researchers are sure that people who eat tomatoes on a regular basis and, therefore, have higher
levels of folic acid in their blood, suffer from depression more rarely than those with
a folic acid deficiency.
7.
You’ll lose weight.
Even if you’re not looking to lower the number on the scale, if your diet includes
enough tomato products, you’ll at least maintain a healthy weight.
You already know all the vitamins and nutrients you can get from consuming them.
But the cool thing is that they’re extremely low cal.
So you get all that energy and good stuff to fuel your body without taking in extra
calories that’ll turn into fat.
Tomatoes were even found to help people with Type 2 Diabetes keep their weight under control,
and their condition makes that a pretty difficult thing to do!
8.
Your bones will be strong.
Tomatoes contain enough antioxidants and calcium to make your bones healthier and stronger.
Besides, high levels of lycopene can prevent osteoporosis, a dangerous disease which makes
bones porous and fragile.
9.
You'll have a healthy heart.
It's a proven fact that those who follow a Mediterranean diet have a much lower risk
of getting heart disease.
One of the secrets is that this diet has tons of tomato-based products, along with olive
oil.
Such foods have amazing heart perks.
For example, the nutrients found in tomato juice help prevent blood clots.
One Harvard study even suggested that a diet rich in tomatoes can mean fewer chances of
having a stroke.
10.
Your brain will be sharper.
You can cut paper with it.
NO not that kind of sharp…
Tomatoes contain nutrients that boost brainpower.
So if you often deal with mental fog and problems with concentration, um ,what was I saying?
Oh yeah, this could help!
Even more so, they also delay dementia and other degenerative diseases that often occur
with age.
Ok, hearing all that, I’m sure anyone would wanna raid the grocery store and stock up
for their tomato-only diet!
Ah, but you know what they say, too much of a good thing…
With vitamins and nutrients, you can, in fact, get too many.
With tomatoes, overconsumption means some serious health risks!
- Tomatoes are rich in different kinds of acids.
If you indulge in them a bit too much, they can make your stomach too acidic.
That, in turn, can mean heartburn.
- Too many tomatoes can also cause a build-up of kidney stones.
As you see, overloading your body with calcium is a no-go.
- Consuming too much lycopene (that magic ingredient that makes tomatoes so awesome!)
can lead to skin discoloration.
Yes, a person’s complexion can actually turn a deep-orange color!
It's not necessarily a health threat, but it's still best when avoided!
- Tomato allergies are pretty rare, but if you're allergic to pollen, chances are that
you might have an allergy to tomatoes.
You’ll also see some serious digestive problems if you’re intolerant to them.
So before you go out and start eating a tomato a day, get the green light from a medical
professional.
And once you’re ready to get your daily dose of tomato, here are some tips on the
best way to eat them:
- If you need more lycopene in your diet, go for canned tomatoes.
Surprisingly, your body absorbs this nutrient from the processed variety way better than
fresh ones!
During cooking, the tomato cell walls break down, and all the goodness inside them gets
into your system a lot easier.
That's why tomato juices, sauces and pastes, and tomato soups should be your first choice.
- If you want to enjoy a fresh tomato, comb grocery stores in search of the brightest
red ones.
Those have the highest amount of antioxidants.
Also, the best way to keep tomatoes fresh for as long as possible is to store them out
of direct sunlight at room temperature.
Throwing them in the fridge will ruin their flavor.
When you eat a fresh tomato, don't peel its skin - it contains tons of healthy stuff!
- And finally, if you combine tomatoes with healthy fats, for example, avocados or olive
oil, your body will absorb the maximum amount of nutrients and vitamins!
Experts say that just 1 serving of tomatoes a day will allow you to reap all the benefits.
When it comes to this single serving, you’ve got plenty of options!
It can be 1 big regular tomato, 7 oz of chopped canned ones, 6 cherry tomatoes, 4 sun-dried
tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of its puree, or a glass of tomato juice.
Now it’s your turn down in the comments: what’s your favorite tomato product?
Any fellow ketchup lovers out there?
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